1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dust collecting devices, and in particular to dust collecting devices used for power tools, such as circular saws, drills and hammers driven by motors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Motor-driven dust collecting devices having motors (AC or DC motors) and used for power tools are known. The motors serve as drive devices for driving fans, blowers or the like that can produce a flow of air for collecting dust.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-195565 discloses dust collecting devices having motors driven by a commercial AC power source or rechargeable batteries. In this publication, power tools receive supply of power from commercially available AC power source. U.S. Pat. No. 7,281,886 discloses a dust collecting device having a motor driven by a commercial AC power source that is supplied to the dust collecting device via a power tool connected to the AC power source.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2002-224631 and 2002-307332 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,615,930 and 6,951,439 disclose dust collecting devices having motors (DC motors) driven by rechargeable batteries. The motors are driven by the rechargeable batteries that are assembled with the dust collecting devices (in the case of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2002-224631 and 2002-307332) or by separate rechargeable batteries (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,615,930 and 6,951,439). The rechargeable batteries also can supply electric power to power tools.
The dust collecting devices having motors driven by the rechargeable batteries can be used at places where no commercial AC power source outlet is available.
However, there still exists a need in the art for a dust collecting device having a battery-driven motor with improved functionality.